Cheltenham - 3 days out

    I wasn't gonna get involved in the Supreme this season as I have no strong views on the race, but a couple of bookies are offering punters their money back if your horse loses so it makes little sense to not bet on the race with a concession like that. I do like Shaneshill, he acts on the track and will be much more at home in a decently run race on good ground than he was at Navan in December when No More Heroes bested him on deep ground. I backed him shortly after that contest for the Neptune which looks like money down the drain now and the fact that he hasn't run at all during 2015 is a big negative. He's the only one I could pick out in the opener at the odds however.

    I had a Twitter rant earlier on this evening when I returned home from work and discovered that Colour Squadron had been pulled from the Plate by his trainer but left in the JLT, a terrible decision.
He'll be outclassed in the race he now runs in but had a decent chance in the handicap - a headscratcher for me. I've been mulling the JLT over a lot during the last few days and have gone from fancying Valseur Lido for the race based on his slick jumping to coming round to Apache Stronghold, a horse I've backed a number of times this season. His win in the Flogas, whilst high class, also came with some question marks attached with regards to his Festival chances. He was awkward at a number of fences and didn't travel that well - not traits you want when it comes to a hot Cheltenham race. But I feel that his jumping did improve towards the end of that race when the pace hotted up and there is a chance that the better gallop they'll go next Thursday will be a help rather than a hindrance. I certainly think he'll be available at bigger odds than 11/2 nearer the off so will hold off for now but it's fairly certain I'll be involved at some stage.

    Three days to go, excited.




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Supreme Novices' Hurdle:
Shaneshill £12.50ew @ 12/1 NRNB mbs

Arkle Chase:
Josses Hill £50w @ 11/1

Festival Handicap Chase:
Mendip Express £5w @ 18/1

Champion Hurdle:
Jezki £15w @ 13/2 and £30ew @ 11/2 NRNB

Neptune Novices' Hurdle:
Shaneshill £10w @ 14/1

RSA Chase:
King's Palace £75w @ 87/10

Queen Mother:
Champagne Fever £20w @ 84/10

Ryanair Chase:
Uxizandre £12w @ 16/1
Champagne Fever £10w @ 12/1

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle:
Tea For Two £10w @ 25/1 and £5ew @ 20/1 NRNB
Value At Risk £25w @ 132/10 and £10w @ 11/1 NRNB
Value At Risk £5ew @ 12/1 NRNB

Gold Cup:
Boston Bob £10ew @ 20/1 NRNB
Champagne Fever £25w @ 17/1


Win Doubles:
Tea For Two(Lanzarote)(won)/King's Palace(RSA) £10w @ 6/1 & 5/1



£5ew Doubles:
Mendip Express(Festival Handicap Chase)/Smad Place(Gold Cup) @ 14/1 & 16/1 NRNB

Jezki(Champion Hurdle)/Monksland(World Hurdle) @ 6/1 & 16/1 NRNB

Champagne Fever(Queen Mother)/Smad Place(Gold Cup) @ 6/1 & 25/1 NRNB

Champagne Fever(Queen Mother)/Value at Risk(AB) @ 6/1 & 11/1 NRNB





£128 lost on Non-Runners